The Police Aren't Very Good At Their Main Job: Solving Crimes

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-police-arent-good-at-solving-crimes_n_5ee7b4fbc5b614b68adec9b1

One of the most common arguments you see made against the notion of “defunding” the police is: “Well, who are you going to call if someone burgles your home or attacks you?” And yet a quick look at crime statistics makes it pretty clear that calling the police in those situations doesn’t do you much good anyway. I learned that lesson myself from the multiple times I’ve called the cops after being the victim of a crime.

(snip)

It’s all right there in the FBI’s official crime data. Law enforcement solved less than half ― just 46% ― of violent crimes and just 18% of property crimes in 2017, the most recent year for which numbers are available. Homicides and aggravated assaults were the only types of crime with clearance rates above 50%. They also solved only 35% of rapes, 29% of robberies, 14% of burglaries, 19% of larcenies and 14% of automobile thefts. Other FBI data shows that murder cases are less likely to be solved when the victim is Black.

Under the FBI’s definition, a crime is deemed “cleared” if a suspect is arrested, charged and handed over to prosecutors. A case also is deemed cleared under other extraordinary circumstances, such as when the suspect dies prior to arrest or leaves the jurisdiction, or when a victim refuses to cooperate with prosecutors.

Given that these figures themselves come from a law enforcement agency that has an incentive to portray law enforcement in a positive light, there are good reasons to question how accurate even those are. For instance, a police department would get credit this year for clearing a previously unsolved case from a prior year. This creates a misleading view of how well a department responds to new crimes in any given year.

[Odoreida]

1. But seriously folks ...

The main job of the cops is collecting revenue.

Then "keeping the peace", then solving crimes.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Yep. I hesitated to post this simply because the headline was so inaccurate.

[soothsayer]

2. They pretty much solve them with tips

From the public.

[unblock]

5. And confessions (sometimes dubiously obtained...).

[Nevilledog]

4. Maybe they should be spending more time learning forensic techniques.

Instead of learning how to be "warriors".

[SoonerPride]

8. They could stop writing traffic tickets and work on all those untested rape kits.

that just sit on a shelf.

From my experience the police are worthless.

I was twice a victim, once of assault which very nearly killed me, and once of a burglary. The police didn't do jack squat on either crime.

I would have felt better and had more resolution just writing angry blog posts about it.

Why are they there?
What do they do?

Write traffic tickets?
Harass minorites?
Eat free meals at fast food joints?

Fuck the police.

[Nevilledog]

10. Most of their investigative time is spent on drug cases.

In 27 years of criminal defense work I don't think I ever had less than 80% of my cases be drug-related.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. AOC had a good point

When asked what de-funding the police might look like, she answered, "The suburbs."

Basically, there is little to no police presence in the suburbs, and when they are around it's usually for different reasons. And in the suburbs, there's community resources to help troubled kids so that when they make mistakes they don't end up with life altering consequences. In the suburbs the public bends over backwards when a teen gets in trouble to make sure that teen's future isn't effected. That's what we want for the cities.

Police would tell you they prevent crimes with their presence, not so sure about that, doesn't take long for people to look to see if the police are not around to commit a bad act. And we already know they are pretty bad at solving crimes, so what are they really doing? Crowd/riot control?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

7. I would place this issue square in the lap of Republicans, not the cops.....

for cutting local, state and federal budgets to the bare bone, and for their corrupt influence on police training.

The result is....
* Small and medium-size communities don't receive enough revenue to hire well-trained, competent police officers or to properly equip them.
* Using the mantra of "the other" or "those people", Republican political dogma stokes mass fear in our communities so that many citizens turn a blind eye to police impropriety.
* Using the mantra of fear of Islamic terrorism through political dogma in right-wing media, they used federal funds to militarize our police forces and to influence the curriculum of schools where officers are trained.

Most influential Rethugs live in gated, guarded communities and don't give a damn about the public's security. They also don't give a shit about low income and people of color receiving due process or fair justice and just say "lock them up".

Our police have not become what they are by accident. What Republicans want police and our military for is only to protect corporate interests.

KY rant done....

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. Have you seen cop budgets lately?

Have you seen the local and state leadership makeup of Minneapolis and Minnesota?

Our police have not become what they are by accident.

They have not "become" a tool for protecting capital. They have *always been* a tool for protecting capital. The entire system must be abolished.

[Squinch]

11. So we should just do away with them. Those 46% of people whose violent crimes are

solved should just take their rapes and assaults for the team.

And that 50% of murderers who do get caught? We should just let them go. Because a tiny minority of people want to play Lord of the Flies.

This is a really stupid argument.

Only 50% of patients with cancer are cured. Lets do away with cancer doctors and research.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. "So we should just do away with them."

No, I think there are better reasons for abolishing the police.

Because a tiny minority of people want to play Lord of the Flies.

You keep using this metaphor. Do you believe the police keep you safe as you go about your day?

[delisen]

12. Great post.

I finally realized that it was pointless to report burglaries in my city because I would not be filing an insurance claim in most instances due to high deductible and likely rate increases, and there would be no police attempt to investigate unless the amount stolen was extremely high.

If one actually has kept a list of serial numbers of tools or descriptions of special items such as jewelry one can review lists pawn shops have to give police. Then they might investigate.0

Police also are sometimes interested in pursuing cases if you find your things listed on ebay or Craig' List.

[Locrian]

13. different sectors?

Someone mentioned that the cops that are abusing people etc are the ones sent out (and funded like the military) to kick ass and collect "fines, fees, etc" ie make up shit to collect $$$

The investigators etc - who COST money and don't generate $$ are understaffed because the don't help generate revenue.

I need verification - but this would make sense.
Another example of not working for us but preying ON us.

[Tetrachloride]

15. Police are not the sole step in Judical process.

1. The Law is made.
2. Policy handed down by prosecutors, police supervisors and the relevant polticians (mayor, governor, president, attorney generals).
3. Probable cause seen by police
4. Arrest is made (or not made) by police.
5. Booking into police station and arrest report writeup.
6. Defense attorney
7. Prosecutor consults with police and defense attorney.
8. First appearance in court. (somewhere in here, bail is made)
9. ..... note: we are not near a trial yet.
10. Possible psychiatric evaluation
11. Possible change of charges
12. Possible plea agreement
13. A whole lot of defense motions

lets say there is a conviction.
20. Sentencing hearing date decided
21. Sentencing hearing
22. Sentence passed. The convicted is sent to prison, community service, mental hospital or various mixes.

Police reform only has so much elbow room without help from prosecutors and politicians.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. This article looks specifically at cases cleared, which relies only on police work.

[Kaleva]

17. Poor areas with a limited tax base cannot afford a robust police force.

In 2013, Detroit, with 7% of the state's population, had 50% of the state's murders. Two other poor, urban areas in Michigan, Flint and Saginaw, had murder rates higher then Detroit that year.

https://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/2014/11/fbi_data_michigans_crime_rates.html

Saginaw

"About 24.7% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.2% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 and over."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saginaw%2C_Michigan#2010_census

Flint

"About 22.9% of families and 26.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint,_Michigan#2010_census

Detroit

"The per capita income for the city was $14,118. 32.3% of families had income at or below the federally defined poverty level. Out of the total population, 53.6% of those under the age of 18 and 19.8% of those 65 and older had income at or below the federally defined poverty line."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit#Income_and_employment

One can conclude that the majority of unsolved murder cases in Michigan occur in 3 impoverished municipalities. I suspect that, if I were to do more research on this, the same would hold true for rapes, robberies, burglaries, larcenies and automobile thefts.

[Tetrachloride]

18. Socio-economic and medical statistics are subject to clarification.

I submit the headline of the original poster is a bit broad.

1. Suppose there are a lot more crimes than police.
2. Suppose police concentrate on some crimes more than others.

Finally, I submit that

3. the main job of police is not solving crime. General peace among the people, preventing crime, community relations, serving evictions are on their daily list.